[Pro-democracy forces in Libya say at least 10 of their fighters have been killed in a NATO air strike on the outskirts of the eastern town of Brega, as the battle rages on for control of the oil port.

NATO said on Saturday that it is investigating reports that a coalition warplane struck pro-democracy forces near the front line of the battle with fighters loyal to the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Burnt out hulks of at least four vehicles, including an ambulance, were seen by the side of the road near the eastern entrance to the oil town on Saturday, the Reuters news agency reported. Men prayed at freshly dug graves nearby as they buried their colleagues...

Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee, reporting from the eastern city of Benghazi...

"Both sides now are basically mired in this stretch about 200km wide on the southeast tip of the Gulf of Sirte and that situation - it seems increasingly - can't change [...] So they have - despite all the bluster and the bravado - to find some sort of accommodation [...] Something's got to give."

Mustafa Gheriani, a Transitional National Council spokesman, told Al Jazeera's Lee that the loss of lives is very much regretted.

"However we understand that collateral damage may also take place and we do accept it, because we look at the big picture which saving more lives.

"So a few people being victims of circumstances or of being at the wrong time or the wrong place it is more or less very bad luck."]